INTRODUCTION
India is rapidly emerging as a global hub for innovation in humanoid robotics, challenging giants like Boston Dynamics and Tesla. From humble beginnings in college labs to creating world-class robots, India’s robotics journey is a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of its engineers and entrepreneurs. Here’s a look at the key milestones and startups driving this revolution.
India’s Humanoid Journey: From Scrap to Space
The story of Indian humanoid robotics began in 2008 with AcYut, the country’s first indigenously built humanoid. Developed by students of BITS Pilani using scrap aluminum and old motors, AcYut defied skeptics and went on to win accolades at RoboGames, the world’s largest robot competition. By 2010, AcYut 4 had become India’s first autonomous humanoid, capable of walking, kicking, and even dancing to Bollywood tunes.
In 2014, Dewakar Vaish from Sharda University built Manav, India’s first 3D-printed humanoid. Priced at an affordable 1.5 to 2 lakh rupees, Manav made humanoid research accessible to colleges and universities. This cost-effective innovation set the tone for subsequent developments in India’s robotics ecosystem.
Other notable achievements include Indro, a 6.5 ft humanoid, and Bhima, a towering 7.7 ft robot built by Hollow World in 2022. Shalu, created by a Mumbai-based teacher, was a low-cost humanoid capable of speaking 38 foreign languages and nine Indian languages. Even ISRO has joined the race with Vyommitra, a semi-humanoid designed for India’s first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2026.
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Meet the Startups Leading the Charge
1. Addverb Technologies
Founded in 2016 by Sangeet Kumar and his team, Addverb Technologies is revolutionizing robotics with its cutting-edge automation equipment. Their Noida-based factory, the world’s largest mobile robot production facility, can produce 100,000 robots annually. Addverb’s mobile robots have automated over 500 warehouses for clients like Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Reliance.
This year, Addverb announced plans to produce 100 humanoid robots by 2025. Their strategy involves leveraging existing hardware and software technologies, as demonstrated by their robot dog, Tracker, designed for search and rescue missions. With Reliance as a major stakeholder and Nvidia’s AI infrastructure backing, Addverb is well-positioned to achieve its ambitious goals.
2. Cosign Robots
Founded in 2023 by Kiran Matthew Koshy and Delip Thomas, Cosign Robots aims to make humanoids affordable. The startup tackled the high cost of actuators, a key component that enables robotic motion. Traditional actuators cost around $1,000 each, contributing significantly to the overall cost of humanoids. Cosign developed actuators priced at just $300, making them 70% cheaper.
By selling these cost-effective actuators, Cosign is generating revenue to fund its ultimate vision: building fully functional humanoids in India. With production-ready actuators and a growing customer base, Cosign Robots is off to a promising start.
3. CynLr
Bengaluru-based CynLr, founded in 2019 by Gokul and Nikhil Ramaswamy, is solving a critical challenge in robotics: enabling robots to see and interact with their environment. Their proprietary vision technology, CLX1, allows robots to identify an object’s color, depth, and shape without prior programming.
While CynLr is not building humanoids, their technology has significant implications for humanoid robotics. By equipping robots with real-time vision, CynLr’s innovations could help humanoids navigate and adapt to diverse, unpredictable environments, from factory floors to urban landscapes.
4. Muks Robotics
Muks Robotics made waves with a viral video of their robot dog, Guardeo. While the hardware was imported, it served as a testbed for MuksOS, an AI-based operating system designed to make robots teachable and adaptable.
The startup is now working on Spacio, a humanoid series designed for space exploration. These humanoids will handle tasks like collecting and analyzing samples on other planets. An Earth version, equipped with wheels instead of legs, is also in development, promising capabilities like cleaning, cooking, and serving—a direct competitor to Elon Musk’s Optimus Gen 2.
5. Invento Robotics
Founded in 2016 by Balaji Viswanathan, Invento Robotics focuses on creating practical, commercially viable robots. Their flagship product, Mitra, is a semi-humanoid assistant used in banks, hospitals, and retail stores. Mitra can recognize faces, process speech, and navigate autonomously, making it a valuable tool for customer service.
Balaji’s vision is to drive a robotics revolution in India by solving real-world problems. Invento’s success at CES and its growing global presence highlight the potential for Indian robotics to compete on the world stage.
The Road Ahead
India’s humanoid revolution is still in its early stages, but the progress made so far is remarkable. From affordable actuators to AI-driven operating systems, Indian startups are addressing the key challenges of humanoid robotics with innovative, cost-effective solutions. Backed by a strong ecosystem of talent, technology, and investment, these companies are not just building robots—they’re building the future.
As India’s robotics pioneers continue to push boundaries, one thing is clear: the era of Indian humanoids has arrived, and the world is taking notice.
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